Aviation students get chance to network as ExpressJet lands at SOA

Capt. Brian Schermerhorn, ExpressJet manager of flight standards, greets Liberty University School of Aeronautics students as they board a jet parked near the school for them to explore.

A commercial jet landed at Freedom Aviation, Liberty University’s fixed base operator (FBO), on Tuesday, as representatives from ExpressJet Airlines spent the afternoon giving students from Liberty’s School of Aeronautics (SOA) an insider’s view of the industry.

ExpressJet, the world’s largest regional airline, operates scheduled flights for Delta, United, and American Airlines. Liberty has had a hiring agreement with ExpressJet since 2012, guaranteeing jobs for qualified graduates of the commercial airline program. Several graduates are currently working with the airline as pilots.

The visit was initiated by the airline as a networking opportunity for students — a chance to cultivate student interest in commercial aviation, answer career-related questions, promote opportunities at ExpressJet, and allow students to experience an aircraft and its crew up close.

“This is a big deal for us to bring something like this to the school,” said Darrin Greubel, ExpressJet general manager of flight operations. “We will talk about the industry, what it takes to be a pilot, and how to interview.”

Ultimately, Greubel said, this event was about giving back to colleges, the ones that prepare graduates to excel in their careers.

“What we are about is giving back,” he said, “(and) to help mentor the next era of aviators; to remind all the students why they are taking all these classes. It gets them excited, and this is something where they can come out here and say, ‘This is what I am looking forward to.’”

Students filed into the plane one-by-one shortly after it landed on a clear, mild-tempered day with plenty of sunshine. The plane was parked for a few hours before heading back to Atlanta where the company is headquartered.

“It is nice getting hands on (with the jet) and to shake hands with the captain and the co-pilot,” said freshman Mark McLeod. “It is nice being able to interact with them and ask them questions. These guys are doing what we want to be doing.”

Among the ExpressJet representatives on board was Capt. Brian Schermerhorn, manager of flight standards. An ExpressJet career man of 20 years, Schermerhorn wore his enthusiasm for his company, for aviation, and for training pilots on his face.

“I really enjoy working, especially with these (students), because it is just unbridled enthusiasm,” he said. “The pure wonderment (as students examine the jet) … it is really tremendous.”

Schermerhorn encouraged the students, assuring them “the future is very bright” for budding aviators.

Two at a time, students were invited into the cockpit to converse with pilots while getting an up-close look at the controls.

Junior Keegan Starkey, who is studying commercial/corporate aviation, was especially thrilled about the opportunity to explore the cockpit. Having spent time in Liberty’s flight simulators, she was eager to check out the real thing.

“It is really cool,” she said. “I appreciate that they came here and that I had the chance to talk to (pilots) and get their point of view and see what it is going to be like when I get there.”